5 Common Invitation Mistakes + Easy Solutions

The wedding invitation is one place you do not want to make a mistake. Even minor mistakes are noticeable because guests are looking at every detail in preparation for your special day. Invitations by Dawn has been printing fine stationery for more than 35 years, and we’ve seen every mistake imaginable when it comes to personalizing and sending wedding invitations. Here are the top 5 most common mistakes we see but no worries! We’re also providing solutions for avoiding these mistakes all together.

Mistake #1: Missing InformationEasy Solution:Recruit friends and family to proofread your wording.
You would be amazed at how many people forget one or more major details on their wedding invitations. We’re talking wedding date, location, address, time of ceremony, etc. Before you scoff at these seemingly silly mistakes, make sure you find multiple friends and family members to proof your invitation wording. If we’ve learned one thing over the years, it’s that these mistakes can happen to anyone!

Mistake #2: Not Enough Invitations/EnvelopesEasy Solution:Always order extras (even if you don’t think it’s needed).
Picture this: you and your fiancé have reviewed the guest list hundreds of times and you feel 100% confident you know exactly how many wedding invitations you need. To save a few bucks, you decide not to order extras…but wait, the invitations come and suddenly your parents forgot a few key people. You have to order just a few more invites but the cost is high and you’re short on time. Don’t get caught in this situation! Include extra invitations and extra envelopes with your order and you’ll be worry-free right from the start.

Mistake #3: Poor Quality InvitationsEasy Solution:Request a sample of your favorite invites before ordering.
Samples allow you to see and feel the quality of an invitation before you actually commit to purchasing it. You’ll be thankful for this extra step because you’ll be able to reject anything that’s not up to your standards and you’ll feel 100% confident in the design you do choose. Peace of mind is worth a lot! Remember, a reputable stationery company will send you samples to ensure the quality of their product. If you can’t get a sample from the stationery provider, we don’t suggest purchasing from them.

Mistake #4: Short on PostageEasy Solution: Assemble an invitation and weigh it at the post office.
We get it, couples get excited when they receive their wedding invitations in the mail and they want to get them assembled, addressed and sent as soon as possible. However, we see far too many wedding invitations returned to sender for inadequate postage. The solution is simple. Assemble one of your wedding invitations and take it to your local post office to get it weighed. The postal worker will be able to get you the exact amount of postage you need and you’ll know your invitation will arrive without hassle.

Mistake #5: Short on TimeEasy Solution:Order your wedding invitations 3-4 months in advance.
Shopping for wedding invitations is the fun part and it’s easy to get sucked into the world pretty designs and forget you’re on a schedule. Start shopping for your invitations 6 months in advance and order them as soon as you can, no later than 3-4 months before the wedding date. If you’ve chosen an invitation that requires lots of assembly, give yourself plenty of time. Assembling and addressing your invitations can take longer than you expect and the last thing you want is to send your invites late, resulting in guests’ schedules booking up and a poor turnout at your wedding. Check out this Stationery Timeline for an easy reference as you begin ordering various wedding stationery.